Flagging device.



R. C. KEENE.

FLAGGING DEVICE.

urmouxon FILED 0012.1, 1912.

Patented Mar. 10, 19M

2 BHEETBBHBET 2.

mu human COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C(L.WASH|NGTON. D, C.

ROBERT C. KEENE, 0F

FRANKFURT, INDIANA.

FLAGGING DEVICE.

oooovo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed October 31, 1912. Serial No. 728,902.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT C. KEENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at llrankfort, in the county of Clinton, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flagging Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in flagging devices or equipments, and the purpose of the invention is to !provide a coi'nbined equipment or apparatus including a flag staff and holding device, a torpedo box and also fuse boxes and in which the parts are compactly arranged and provided for immediate and convenient use.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a flagging device which includes a pair of joined tubes of oblong form and having lids, while means are carried within the tubes for supporting fuses of different lengths therein whereby the fuses will project above the open ends of the tubes and in which means are also provided for hanging the device over the back of a car for immediate and convenient use. Vvith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dcvice as mounted on a car, a fragmentary portion of which is shown. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing fuses positioned in the tubes. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the flag case and with the torpedo box mounted thereon and containing torpedoes. Fig. 7 is a view of the device when the flag is in use and the staff of the flag engaged in the case. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the adjusting members for the fuse contain ing tubes.

As illustrated, my improved flagging device consists of a pair of tubes 1.0 preferably oblong in form and secured together in spaced parallel relation by means of an upper rectangular bar 11 of hollow formation and at their lower ends by a pair of 1 straps 12 and one of said straps is pro vided with a horizontally projecting ring or socket 123 for a purpose to be made apparent. The tubes 10 are each provided with a removable lid 14L having indentations 15 to support the same above the top edges of the tubes when the lids are in position and each lid is fastened to a tube through the medium of a short chain 16 through the medium of outstanding eyes 17 carried by the outer sides of the lids and tubes respectively, so that when the lids are taken oll' they will simply hang to the sides of the box and also be in position for convenient use.

The tubes 10 are adapted to contain or hold fuse's which are very essential for flagging purposes and as the fuses are made in different lengths, it is necessary to provide means so that the short and long fuses can be adj ustcd so as to protrude a half inch or more above the top of each tube. For this purpose each tube is provided with an adjusting member 18 which comprises a follower head 20 and a stem 19 secured thereto, the said follower head snugly fitting within each tube and adapted to be supported upon the stem with the follower head upward for supporting short fuses indicated by the numeral 21 or to be inverted in position and supported on the follower head with the stem extending upward for supporting the longer fuses indicated at 22, such parts being illustrated in the vertical sectional view. It will also be seen that by reason of the indentations 15, when the lids are placed on the tubes, there is suflicient space above the top of each tube or box to accommodate the protruding ends of the fuses, and each lid is further provided with a bow-handle 23 formed of a tin strip for removing and replacing the same.

The hollow tin bar 11 ctmneeting the tubes adjacent to their upper ends is adapted to support a flag case therefor and torpedo box for convenient use when the tubes are suspended from the back of a passenger or observation train or hand rails of a caboose or other convenient place by means of a pair of books 24-, one of which is secured to each tube near its upper end.

The flag is indicated by the numeral 21.) and is attached to a flag stall 26, prcferal'ily of wood and having an enlarged handle portion 27, said staff incl osed within a hollow or tubular flag case 28 when the flag is hung on the stall. The case 28 is provided with an angular ho-ok 29 near its small end to engage over the rectangular bar 11 so as to suspend the case and the fuse containing tubes with its lower end held within the clamp hook 123 so as to hold the case in position, es pecially when the device is being carried from one place to another through the medium of a handle 80 mounted on the outer side of one can or box 10. It will also be observed that when the staif is closed within the flag case, the handle portion 27v will project beneath the same and may be readily withdrawn to remove the flag for use and the flag may then be inserted in the case in an inverted position as disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings and in which position the handle 27 is fitted in the large end of the case. Permanently secured to the small end of the case is a torpedo box 31 which is of cylindrical form and enlarged relative to the can and adapted to contain torpedoes 32 of well known type and is provided with a lid 33 of similar construction as the lids of the fuse cans and provided with an attach-- ing chain 84 and a bow-handle 35 for removing and replacing the same. The enlarged or open end of the flag case 25 also carries a pivoted ring 36 which is engageable with a brass peg or angle screw 37 secured to or inserted in the adjacent portion of the flag staif, so as to prevent the latter from dropping out due to the jar of the train.

It will thus be evident that a flagging device constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodies a few simple parts which when supported in position will permit of immediate use of the fuses, torpedoes or flag by the flag-man when the parts are so arranged as to be readily reversed for use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flagging device, a pair of tubes secured in spaced relation, removable lids for the tubes, said tubes being adapted to con tain fuses of different lengths, an adjusting member in each tube, each adjusting member comprising a follower head snugly fit ting in the tube and a stem carried by each follower head to permit inversion of the said members for use with short or long fuses.

2. In a flagging device, tubes having supporting means, a cross bar connecting the tubes near one end, straps connecting the tubes near their other ends, one of said straps carrying a hook, a flag case having a hook removably suspended on the bar, a flag having a staff held in the case and provided with a handle portion to support the flag in an inverted position when open, and a torpedo boX removably attached to the case.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT C. KEENE.

Vi itnesses:

JOHN C. MoRRrsoN, Manrrn A. MORRISON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l-atents, Washington, D. G. 

